Japanese Salty Rice Crackers

Japanese crackers have been enjoyed for centuries. The crackers were first introduced to Japan via China during the Tang Dynasty, but these early senbei were made from potato and had a cake-like texture. Modern Japanese rice crackers are made from toasted rice, the salty soy sauce variety of Japanese rice crackers became particularly popular.

1. Seaweed (Nori) Senbei: Nori-flavored senbei are made by wrapping toasted rice crackers in a thin sheet of dried nori seaweed. These can also be made by mixing small shredded pieces of nori or aonori (powdered seaweed) into the senbei dough before baking.

2. Other Senbei (Arare):  Arare is another type of rice cracker that’s made like senbei from pounded rice that’s toasted over a flame, but which is much smaller in shape. These bite-sized crackers come in a variety of shapes, such as tiny stars and seed shapes, and they can be mixed with other ingredients such as peanuts and are a popular Japanese snack food.